"Returning to the Flock" Log Date: Tuesday, July 04, 2000 1:32 PM First log from Kureel's new player (being me, of course). It was arranged that he was off on a mission for Winnowill, taking him to the preserver valley after word had reached the Mountain Lord of its existence and preservers within. Once there, Kureel did indeed confirm this to be true, but they decided to keep him there a while longer..a couple turns, in fact. Would've been longer but I figure two turns is about the longest that could've passed before someone from the Mountain went searching for him. Anyway, the log, where Kureel is freed by Keshah. ************************************************* Hidden Valley This tiny hidden is nestled between the steep sides of three mountain peaks, all but unreachable from the outside world. White clouds drift above, curling around the mountaintops and blocking the valley from view from above. There is an eternal twilight down in the bottom, a soft silvery one. A small waterfall cascades down from one of the rocky sides of the valley, falling into a small pool from which flows a sparkling brook. The brook disappears into a small copse of dark green trees, evergreen and sheltering. A small berrypatch is on the other side of the brooklet, framing a miniature meadow filled with sweetly fragranced flowers. Early morning light barely penetrates the eternal fog covering the valley, leaving it in a glowing, emerald twilight. Contents: Sweetrain Nightwing Rainsweet Leafdrop Keshah Obvious exits: Berry patch Pool Copse Climb Out Keshah finishes the arduous climb into the hidden valley, landing lightly on the mossy ground below the towering walls. Moving softly, slowly, and with visible reluctance, she moves between the flowering bushes and verdant trees until she reaches a certain spot in the valley. Looking down, she whispers to herself with a mixture of relief and disappointment. "Nothing left..." As Keshah kneels to touch the ground gingerly, there is suddenly a flash of color from a nearby tree, zipping right at her and crashing into the tangled locks of her dark hair with a gleeful shriek! Keshah grabs for her hair, startled. Then a rare smile dawns on her face as the preserver perching there greets her brightly. // Highthing! Highthing is back! Tumbleberry very happy now! // Coaxing the winged being onto her hand, she holds it in front of her face to return the greeting solemnly. "I have missed you as well, little friend." More preservers flutter out of the nearby trees, green and blue and golden and one small, pink one that flutters shyly up a few heartbeats after the rest. Quite soon, Keshah is covered in the butterfly-like beings. Keshah laughs softly, naming each of them. "Sweetrain! Leafdrop! Rainsweet! Oooh, and Rosebud, don't be afraid, come!" She rises carefully, even if she is unlikely to dislodge any of the preserver who are all clamoring to talk to 'their' highthing, all at once. "Slowly, slowly, I can barely understand you. Oh, but it is good to be back! You are the only one who could have made me return here, after... what happened last." Keshah walks towards the pool and her favorite smooth rock for sitting on there, talking little to the preservers, but listening intently. Suddenly, she slows to a stop as something new registers. A wrapstuff cocoon, not far from the place where she knelt. Her golden eyes go wide, in hope and wonder. Could it be...? The question, of course, would be who Keshah might expect to see. Keshah convinces (with some effort) the preservers on her hands and arms to flutter away. Some hover around her, two settle in a nearby tree to scold her with bright voices as she pulls out her bright bronze knife and kneels by the cocoon. // Wethings make wrapstuff! Wethings tend it well! Mustn't break it, darksad highthing! // Keshah ignores the preserver complaints as she touches the wrapstuff gently. "I never did see you die... those cruel wolfriders, they must have wrapstuffed you and left you behind, pretending their grief so I would not return to you. Oh, I am so sorry, my love. I should have had more faith. But everything will be fine, now. Keshah is back." And with that, she cuts the wrapstuff open, with great care. Only one little problem - this cocoon is a bit longer than what would be normal for a Wolfrider, if that is indeed who Keshah believes is inside. It's been here perhaps a couple turns by now but no longer as the dark-skinned maiden makes her slices. What is revealed, however, isn't who or what she expects. Far from it, in fact. A glimpse of black here, a hint of silver there. Lean body, mostly pale skin where it's visible. A..talon whip? This is followed by a slight groan, alertness slow to return to the elf. Keshah scrambles back, small knife held at the ready before her and alarmed surprise in her golden eyes. "You are not Lonehowl! W-who are you? What are you doing in my valley?" Keshah adds, more frantically. "What did you do to Lonehowl?" A slender arm lifts to place a hand to the elf's head, adorned by a helmet that may be familiar to those associated with a certain Mountain. "Unnnh.." he grunts, stretching as he sits up, a step slow to notice the knife and Keshah. ** What..? ** he sends, the question muddy with slumber. Icy, blue eyes narrow at the possible hostility and he warns, ** I suggest you sheath your blade, desert elf, and I know nothing of any 'Lonehowl.' ** The name is nearly spat out, obviously one of Wolfrider make. ** I am Kureel, of the Chosen Eight. ** Keshah was never much good at sending, despite spending so much time among the exclusively sending Underworlders. She does get the gist of that message, though. Licking her lips nervously, she takes another step back, but still does not lower her blade. "He... he was here. He must have been. Could they have taken him away? Why are you here? Are you with the wolfriders?" ** One question at a time. ** Kureel suggests as he works to pull himself from the cocoon, aiding in the removal of a few strands of wrapstuff with his levitation magic. When he stands upright fully, his height erases any doubt as to just what he is, as if identifying himself didn't cover that already - he's a Glider. ** Who are 'they?' ** A hand lingers near his talon whip, just in case. Thus far, he knows nothing of why Keshah is here. Keshah frowns, rubbing at her brow with her free hand. "Speak, not send. I do not... No, I will not. Not that." She shakes her head a little, looking more befuddled than the recently awakened glider. She says, almost pleadingly. "I only want Lonehowl. Is that so much to ask? She is finished with him now, he does not need her any more." Kureel glares briefly, at both her words for this Lonehowl and her request to speak aloud. "Very well, since you don't seem to be able to send adequately." Ridiculous, he thinks. "I don't have any idea what you are talking about, who Lonehowl is, or any of that. There was nobody else here when I arrived save the bugs." Speaking of which.. "Now, who are you?" Keshah looks sorely disappointed, and finally lowers her knife, at least a little. "Thieving wolfrider... she took him away from me again." Then she seems to remember some semblance of long disused manners. Straightening, she runs one hand over her hair (which will take somewhat more effort than that to be presentable again) and answers the question. "I am Keshah. This is my valley." Kureel looks at Keshah in an almost sympathetic fashion, the old wheels turning again slowly as he once more becomes aware of his surroundings. "Yes..the filthy Wolfrider must have been responsible for it. In fact, I had seen signs of a struggle." This is at least a partial truth, for the signs of what had gone on before the apparent death of this Lonehowl were there. Then, a question. "What makes this..your valley?" Keshah looks faintly surprised at the question. "Why, because it is. I and my little friends lived here long before the wolfriders came and tried to ruin it all." At her words, one of the braver preservers flies up to settle on her shoulder, watching Kureel warily. From previous experience, perhaps? Kureel has never cared that much for the preservers. In his opinion, they're an annoyance and much more trouble than they're worth. What's more, they just don't listen. Keshah's 'logic' as to why the valley is hers makes no sense to him but the Chosen shrugs it off with the movement of a shoulder. "I was..unaware anyone claimed rights to this valley. My Lord sent me here having heard rumors of preservers occupying it." A pause. "Clearly, this is true." Keshah looks to the preserver at her shoulder, and another flicker of caution sets her eyes alight again. "What if there are? They are my friends, not yours! You cannot have them!" She raises her knife again, in valiant defense of her bewinged friend. The talon whip is withdrawn and it sails swiftly for Keshah's dagger, attempting to dislodge it from her hand and yank it back Kureel’s way. "Stand down, Keshah. I have no reason to harm you unless you try my hand." Aside from being just a step slow, the time spent wrapped doesn't seem to have affected him terribly. "You would question my Lord's bidding?" Keshah gasps as the knife is jerked from her hand, entirely unfamiliar with talonwhips and their workings. She clutches at her hand, stumbling back even farther. "They are my friends! Nobody else!" Whirling suddenly around, she calls to the preservers. "Go away! Hide! Now, I tell you!" The smallest preserver shrieks and dives into the nearby bushes, while the other ones seem more reluctant. But finally, all but the darkest hued one are out of sight. Kureel's free hand opens as the whip deposits the blade in it, to be turned and examined a few times before he tosses it back at her feet, as if thinking her to be a non-threat. "Do think before you wield this. You might hurt yourself with it, for it is sharp." The outburst rather bounces off him, having heard many an excited rant from others before. "Send them off if you wish. I do not care. Frankly, I have no interest in bringing any of them back to our Mountain. I shall simply tell Lord Winnowill of their existence, but that none could be..persuaded to return with me." Keshah kneels to pick up her knife, watching Kureel cautiously the whole time. Clutching it to her chest protectively, she asks softly. "Will you leave, then?" "I don't have any particular interest in remaining here any longer, given the..reception I was greeted with," Said as Kureel picks off a few lingering strands of wrapstuff that dangle from his headpiece, getting in the way of his eyes. "But I am..curious to hear more of your own troubles here." He all but sneers, calculating again. "Perhaps there is something you could be assisted with." Keshah rises slowly again, tongue wetting her lips as she considers the implied offer. Then she returns the knife to her belt, drawing a deep breath before replying. "I only want what was taken from me. But he is not here anymore. Perhaps... I should leave again, as well." She asks suddenly. "Would you help me search?" Kureel coils his whip and clips it to his waist, able to at least understand Keshah wants something that's been stolen from her. "I cannot promise anything of that nature. I do not even know the status of your..beloved." If it's a Wolfrider she prefers..well. Don't have to ask much to ascertain his opinion of them. "As for searching, I doubt I would be any help towards that. As it is, I must return home." Suddenly, it strikes him that he has no idea how long he's been here. Keshah gnaws on a knuckle, thinking. "Could be anywhere... The forests, the sea, the desert... even the frozen Mountains. So many places, so far to walk." She looks up at Kureel again, sharply. "If you find him, will you bring him back here? The preservers would protect him, until I returned." Kureel doubts he ever will, and he certainly doesn't plan on looking, so the promise is easily made. "Of course. For you." he smiles winningly. Those that know him know he doesn't smile much, but no need to make that known to Keshah, is there? He pauses and glances towards the treeline, attempting to summon his bond. When there's no answer, he frowns. That was unexpected. Keshah starts pacing. "Yes. Yes, that would work. I could look for him, and come back here. Then look someplace else, if he is not here yet. Oh, but I cannot delay! I must go to the frozen north first, while it is summer. It is the closest. Yes, that makes sense." She seems to just about have forgotten that Kureel is present. Closest to the North? That at least gives Kureel a sense of where to head again to get back home. "Yes, yes..you do that. I will be sure to let you know if I find anything out." Ah, it's so easy to tell lies without sending fouling it up. His eyes turn towards the exit to the valley, feeling as if he passed through there just yesterday. "If you'll pardon me, I must take my leave, desert elf." Keshah says "Hmm? Oh, yes, I suppose so." With the ghost of a sun maiden’s hospitality she offers. "Won't you have something to eat or drink, first? And the pool is pleasant for bathing. You hardly want to leave it." She looks around again. "The preservers could find some fruits..." Kureel shakes his head once. "No, thank you all the same. I will find something along the way. Strangely, it feels as if I have been here long enough as it is." Besides, he doesn't have any real interest in socializing with the dark-skinned maiden any more than he absolutely has to. He might just find a holt to drop in on along the way, stir the pot a bit. Keshah says "Oh. Well. Shade and sweet water then, Kureel of the Chosen." Her formal greeting made, Keshah turns away and fades into the nearest copse, no longer heeding Kureel. She mutters to herself as she walks, of thieving wolfriders and plans to make. "Clear skies to you," Kureel answers, even going so far as to humble her with a slight bow. If it'll satisfy her, why not in this case? That done, he departs and commences searching for his bond-bird. Now where did it get off to...?